phinsforlife
Active Roster
Grier, Ross, McDaniel. To agree to this, given his injury history, not smart. I think Grier and Ross primarily responsible, but McDaniel as well. This is too one sided in Tua's favor given the risk. And yes, they could have made him play out the 5th year option too, then none of this would have been an issue. They did not need to cave on everything, they had some leverage, especially that 5th year option.
www.nbcsports.com
More deets on the contract, article is paywalled, I can excerpt some highlights.
▪ The contract contains no clauses or exceptions or waivers for concussions, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. ▪ According to overthecap.com’s Jason Fitzgerald, insurance covers $49.3 million of the $167.1 million guaranteed for injury in Tagovailoa’s contract. He would be due $167.1 million if he’s never cleared to play but doesn’t retire. ▪ Per spotrac.com’s Michael Ginnitti, $43 million of the $167 million that’s guaranteed for injury already has been paid to Tagovailoa. Ginnitti said if Tagovialoa is “medically cleared to return to football, but opts to retire, he will forego the remaining $124M guaranteed (barring a custom settlement). If he’s medically forced into retirement, he has a right to collect the $124M remaining.” If Tagovailoa retires by choice, after being medically cleared, Miami would still have $33.6 million in dead money that it could spread over 2025 and 2026, per Fitzgerald. But Tagovailoa retiring after being medically cleared seems unlikely because of all the of the money he would be sacrificing. ▪ As Ginnitti noted, if Tagovailoa passes a physical in March — and the Dolphins nevertheless released him (an unlikely scenario) — they would be “on the hook” for only the $50 million he’s due in 2025. His $54 million salary for 2026 would become guaranteed March 14, 2025, and the Dolphins could move to release him before that date, and avoid that 2026 salary, if he passes a physical next March. So if Tagovailoa passes a physical, it’s unlikely he would be released. Tagovailoa’s $31 million salary in 2027 and $41.4 million salary in 2028 are not guaranteed. ▪ If the Dolphins released Tagovailoa without a post-June 1 designation next offseason, Miami would have a dead cap hit of $132.2 million that could be spread across 2025 and 2026. If Tagovailoa were to be released with a post-June 1 designation, the Dolphins would have a dead cap hit of $83.6 million that could be taken in 2025 or spread across 2025 and 2026. That was the risk of signing Tagavailoa to the four-year, $212 million extension when the Dolphins merely could have gone year to year with him through 2026, albeit with larger cap hits than the ones in the early years of his new contract. The Dolphins have only $4 million in 2025 cap space at the moment. Sustaining an enormous cap hit for releasing Tagovailoa — and then having the money to sign a replacement other than a rookie or cheap journeyman — isn’t realistic.
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article292419334.html#storylink=cpy
Tua Tagovailoa's contract has no concussion clauses, exceptions, or waivers
The stakes for both sides are high, if he isn't cleared or if he retires.
www.nbcsports.com
More deets on the contract, article is paywalled, I can excerpt some highlights.
▪ The contract contains no clauses or exceptions or waivers for concussions, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. ▪ According to overthecap.com’s Jason Fitzgerald, insurance covers $49.3 million of the $167.1 million guaranteed for injury in Tagovailoa’s contract. He would be due $167.1 million if he’s never cleared to play but doesn’t retire. ▪ Per spotrac.com’s Michael Ginnitti, $43 million of the $167 million that’s guaranteed for injury already has been paid to Tagovailoa. Ginnitti said if Tagovialoa is “medically cleared to return to football, but opts to retire, he will forego the remaining $124M guaranteed (barring a custom settlement). If he’s medically forced into retirement, he has a right to collect the $124M remaining.” If Tagovailoa retires by choice, after being medically cleared, Miami would still have $33.6 million in dead money that it could spread over 2025 and 2026, per Fitzgerald. But Tagovailoa retiring after being medically cleared seems unlikely because of all the of the money he would be sacrificing. ▪ As Ginnitti noted, if Tagovailoa passes a physical in March — and the Dolphins nevertheless released him (an unlikely scenario) — they would be “on the hook” for only the $50 million he’s due in 2025. His $54 million salary for 2026 would become guaranteed March 14, 2025, and the Dolphins could move to release him before that date, and avoid that 2026 salary, if he passes a physical next March. So if Tagovailoa passes a physical, it’s unlikely he would be released. Tagovailoa’s $31 million salary in 2027 and $41.4 million salary in 2028 are not guaranteed. ▪ If the Dolphins released Tagovailoa without a post-June 1 designation next offseason, Miami would have a dead cap hit of $132.2 million that could be spread across 2025 and 2026. If Tagovailoa were to be released with a post-June 1 designation, the Dolphins would have a dead cap hit of $83.6 million that could be taken in 2025 or spread across 2025 and 2026. That was the risk of signing Tagavailoa to the four-year, $212 million extension when the Dolphins merely could have gone year to year with him through 2026, albeit with larger cap hits than the ones in the early years of his new contract. The Dolphins have only $4 million in 2025 cap space at the moment. Sustaining an enormous cap hit for releasing Tagovailoa — and then having the money to sign a replacement other than a rookie or cheap journeyman — isn’t realistic.
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article292419334.html#storylink=cpy
